On the coast of Emilia-Romagna—one of the most famous Italian regions in the world for nature, art, and food just 20 km from Ravenna—sits Cervia. This ancient fishing village, nicknamed the City of Salt, became known during the Roman Empire for its fine sand and wide centuries-old pinewood. In the 1800s, Cervia became an important tourist destination, and in 1912, the garden city of Milano Maritttima was created, quickly becoming one of the most glamorous seaside towns in Italy. For all these reasons and more, Cervia has been selected to host the first ever "made in Italy" IRONMAN event.

The adventure will start in the calm waters of Romagna, where athletes will take on the first 3.8 kilometers of the swim course. They will pass through the Natural Park of Salt Pens of Cervia, the natural habitat of pink flamingos, and cycle for 180 km surrounded by history and nature. Finally, the marathon will take them through Cervia and Milano Maritime’s most prominent landmarks, leading all athletes to the finish line to become Italy’s first IRONMAN finishers.